Frequently Asked Questions

Excel is a highly selective business fellowship for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year college students across the world. For applicants from the southern hemisphere and those from Germany, eligibility extends up until a year after graduating with an undergraduate degree. The fellowship begins with an summer program in Israel featuring a professional internship with Fortune 500 companies and startups. The Excel Fellowship is for highly accomplished Jewish college students who are pursuing careers across a wide spectrum of industries within business and/or technology. Each Excel Fellow chooses among a wide selection of industries: biotech business development, consulting, engineering, environmental sustainability, finance, marketing, computer science — including cyber technology, software development, startups, and venture capital. Internships run during the Israeli work week, Sundays-Thursdays, and each Excel Fellow is appointed a mentor at the company where they will intern. The mentor serves as both a supervisor and someone who helps introduce Israeli business culture. Often times, mentors and Excel Fellows form a relationship that extends well beyond the summer. We take particular pride in several mentors/fellows collaborating on business endeavors. In addition to the internship, Excel presents a speaker series twice per week featuring leaders across Israeli society from business to media to government to those representing diverse Israeli communities. As well, there are three weekend trips within Israel. All members of the cohort along with staff attend the speaker series and weekend trips.

Birthright Israel Excel is a fast-paced, demanding and intellectually stimulating fellowship designed to develop the next generation of Jewish business leaders. Birthright Israel Excel Fellows come to Israel to intern at Israeli companies -- some are global companies with offices in Israel -- with a keen interest to pursue careers in business or technology. We look for candidates with excellent quantitative, analytical and communication skills. Candidates should be hard working, adaptable, able to manage projects independently and ready to assume a high level of responsibility as a member of a team. Candidates must demonstrate academic strength with a minimum 3.2 GPA, strong SAT/ACT scores (for US applicants who submitted test scores with their college applications), demonstrated leadership skills and a high energy level.

The program is open to all Jewish young adults who are currently college sophomores (2nd year), juniors (3rd year) or seniors (4th year) and for those from the southern hemisphere or Germany, up to one year after completing an undergraduate degree. Those graduating must be committed to graduate programs or full-time employment in the fall after graduation. Students who attend an Israel based university full time or those who attended high school in Israel (regardless of whether the attend a university outside Israel) are not eligible for the global Birthright Israel Excel fellowship. Israelis who attended high school in Israel may apply to Excel under the Israel application at https://taglitisrael.co.il/excel/ Students should be pursuing a well-rounded academic background with relevant coursework related to their desired internships. Candidates must demonstrate academic strength. U.S applicants are required to have a minimum 3.2 GPA (or equivalent for international students), strong standardized test scores (if applicable), demonstrated leadership skills, and a high energy level. To be eligible for Birthright Israel Excel, you must be considered Jewish by one of the recognized Jewish denomination.* You must not be exclusively practicing another religion, and you also need to have at least one Jewish parent who identifies as such. You may also be eligible if you are a Jew by Choice through conversion to Judaism (documentation will be requested). Please note that final eligibility for Excel is only determined after you complete the full application process and is subject to change. If your Jewish story feels complicated and you have questions about your Jewish eligibility, or if you practice another religion, or if you are adopted, we take these cases seriously and prefer to talk to you 1 on 1. Please contact us at Hello@birthrightexcel.com. *We recognize the following denominations: Reform Reconstructionist Conservative Orthodox Sephardic

If submitting an application for summer 2026 by the early application date of September 29th, applicants will be notified of their admission status on December 11th. Applicants who initially submit their application without an essay and/or video, will be notified within two weeks after submission whether they should proceed to submit an essay and video, or if they will not be advancing in the admissions process. Applicants who do submit a completed application with essay and video by September 29th will be notified within a few weeks of submission whether they are selected for a first-round interview. After September 29th, the admission process will move to rolling admission for the remaining spots. The majority of spots will be filled from the early admission pool. After September 29th, we highly recommend students submit the three short response questions and video with their application. Interview consideration is only given following the three short response questions and video submission. Applicants selected for a first round interview should expect to hear back via email if they are selected for a second round (final) interview within three weeks of their first interview. The email will indicate whether the applicant is invited to a second-round (final) interview or will not be continuing in the admission process.

Interested students must complete the online Excel Fellowship application. Application includes submission of a resume, three short answer questions, video, and unofficial transcript. For those who don't submit the short answer questions and video with their initial application, the admissions team will inform candidates within two weeks whether they should submit the three short answer responses and video. The admissions team will review applications and request these items from those candidates who are selected to continue in the application process. The application is accessible online through the APPLY button on top of the home page. Once all application materials are submitted, selected candidates will be offered a first-round interview which is conducted by Excel Fellows who have graduated from college. From there, selected applicants are given a second-round (final) interview, which is led by the Excel Admissions Team. Candidates selected for an interview will be notified via email. Candidates who are selected for the Excel Fellowship will be notified by email and asked to accept one week following the offer date. Please direct your questions via email to hello@birthrightexcel.com. Israelis who attended high school in Israel should visit the Israel-based Excel https://taglitisrael.co.il/excel/

Typically, depending on the year, 60-80 participants are selected; 2/3 from the US and 1/3rd from international countries, each of whom are paired with an Israeli participant.

There is an early application deadline of September 29th and rolling admission after. There is an significant advantage to submit your application by the early deadline of September 29th.

For those who submit their application by the early due date, end of day September 29th (11:59pm ET), admission decisions will be shared by Thursday, December 11th, 2025. Notifications for applications submitted after September 29th will be on a rolling basis.

No. The internships and all activities are all conducted in English.

Yes, you may apply to both programs and we encourage you to do so, however, if you are accepted to both you must participate on the Birthright Israel trip before the departure of the Excel Fellowship. Once you have participated in the Excel Fellowship program, you are no longer eligible for a Birthright Israel trip. You still have the opportunity to staff Birthright Israel 10-day trips upon your return to the US.

Yes.

Yes. Prior Israel experience does not affect your eligibility for the Excel Fellowship. However, students who have previously completed an internship in Israel should explain in their application materials what they hope to accomplish and contribute to through this additional internship and overall Israel experience, if selected as an Excel Fellow.

Yes.

Summer 2026 program dates: Program begins in Tel Aviv at 4pm on Monday, June 8th. Program ends at 8pm on Monday, August 10th.

The majority of costs are covered by the generous donors supporting the Excel Fellowship. These covered costs include double occupancy, dorm-style rooms in Tel Aviv, daily breakfast and dinner, and lunch subsidized by the companies during the Israeli work week. Security Deposit – In order to participate in the Program, you will be required to provide Birthright Israel with a security deposit of Five Hundred Dollars ($500). This Security Deposit is required whether or not you are approved for Financial Aid. Of the total Security Deposit: Two Hundred Dollars ($200) represents a payment to help support the Program and is non-refundable (the “Program Payment”); and Three Hundred Dollars ($300) represents a portion that you may select to have returned to you or donated to the Program (the “Refundable Payment”). Participants are responsible for organizing and paying for their roundtrip air travel to Israel. Financial aid is available for those who provide a written request and is determined based on whether the participant receives financial aid at their collegiate institution.

Please refer to the Internships page on the site for a sampling of our participating companies. There will be additional companies and positions added during the year. If accepted to the fellowship, the placement coordinator will conduct one-on-one discussions with you to match you with a particular company.

Extensive conversations will be held with each accepted applicant to determine the best fit for the Fellow and the participating companies alike, but staff cannot guarantee a specific request. Students will be matched with companies based on professional and industry interests, previous work experience, university coursework, and workplace environment preferences. Preferences for industry and specific internships are strongly taken into account in determining placements. Our goal is for each Excel Fellow to be excited with their placement.

Each fellow will be mentored by seasoned business professionals within the company at which they are interning, who will oversee your work assignments, keep track of your progress, answer questions, and acclimate you to the Israeli workplace. The ongoing mentorship will additionally provide personal and professional guidance throughout the summer, answering not only job related questions but providing career and personal advice. In addition, we maintain full time staff members to address any questions and needs that may arise during your internship.

Internship: Each Excel Fellow interns at a prominent Israeli company. Interns are expected to work 5 days (Sunday through Thursday) for a minimum of 40 hours a week. Fellowship: Excel Fellows attend leadership seminars with distinguished Israeli leaders in order to broaden their understanding of Israeli society: business, technology/innovation, government, culinary and other arts, Jewish identity, Israeli diversity, current events, and the global economy. These meetings take place during the day on Fridays and during weeknight evening hours (approximately 2-3 days during the week). Participation in these programs is mandatory. Travel: Excel Fellows travel throughout Israel on three weekends. Israeli Fellow Connections: A key component of the summer experience is engaging with Israelis of the same age, most of whom or studying in areas of similar interest or are serving in the Israel Defense Forces. This is an opportunity to get to know Israel through its people. Each fellow is matched with an Israeli partner. Together, these peers explore their views about personal, religious, and political identities and ideologies. You can view a sample calendar for the summer HERE

Yes. You can view one HERE

You may apply for the Excel Fellowship regardless of your Jewish background or affiliation, however you must be Jewish to apply -- if you have at least one Jewish parent, you are qualified to apply. Although Excel does not provide a religious environment, all organized programming taking place on Shabbat will be appropriate for observant participants.

Not at all. We don't ask applicants to share their political views. The Excel Fellowship is for young Jewish adults from around the globe. That being said, during the summer program, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss historical and current events in an organized and educational setting.

Yes. Eligible individuals are those who identify as Jewish and are recognized as such by their local community or by one of the recognized denominations of Judaism. Applicants must also have at least one Jewish parent or have completed Jewish conversion through a recognized Jewish denomination.

Please review the current instructions for entering Israel for non-Israelis.